Las Vegas Casino Legend Dies At 93Downtown Las Vegas Patriarch Jackie Gaughan Passes |
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One of Las Vegas’ gaming legends passed away on Wednesday at the age of 93.
John “Jackie” Gaughan, who once controlled a quarter of the gaming in Downtown, Las Vegas, had spent the last part of his life living in a hotel above the El Cortez. Despite his old age and dementia, he could occasionally be seen playing poker in the casino.
A 2009 column by the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s John L. Smith called the elder Gaughan “the last king left in the old Vegas deck.”
Gaughan purchased the El Cortez, currently the city’s oldest operational casino, in 1963.
“Few people have influenced Las Vegas and Nevada like Jackie Gaughan,” Gov. Brian Sandoval said in a statement. “He played an important role in the history of Las Vegas, helping shape it into the city we know today. There is no question his incredible legacy will be felt for generations to come.”
Gaughan is the father of South Point Casino owner Michael Gaughan.
“Las Vegas lost a legend today and the El Cortez lost its patriarch in Jackie,” El Cortez owner Kenny Epstein said in a statement. “But his vision for the gaming industry and his presence as a beloved member of the El Cortez family will be felt for years to come.”
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